What Is This Thing?

Every spring thousands of people from all over the world descend on our city. The streets are jammed. Live music pours from any conceivable location. Odd movies appear at the theatres. Strange people wander the streets. For nearly two weeks, South by Southwest takes control of Austin. Is there a place for the casual onlooker in all this madness? Is it possible to participate in SXSW without losing all of your mind, your money, or your sleep?

The answer is: maybe.

But, let’s take it slow. Here’s a short quiz** to get you started:

1. What is this thing they call South by Southwest?

a) An opportunity to get out of town until all the crazy people leaveb) An internationally unique event showcasing talent from all over the worldc) Something for hipsters and teenagers who don’t need sleepd) All of the above

2. Who are these thousands of 22-year-olds in skinny jeans wandering around my city?

a) Musicians and filmmakersb) Confused spring breakers who got lost on their way to South Padrec) Your new best friendsd) All of the above

3. Do I need an American Apparel hoodie and a faux-hawk in order to enter Whole Foods?

a) Yesb) Noc) Welcome to South by Southwestd) All of the above

To the outsider, South by Southwest can feel like a beast. A sprawlingly complex event that requires insider knowledge or an $800 dollar badge or tons of free time (or all three) even to consider participating. The reality is that this is true. And it isn’t.

SXSW is actually three separate conferences rolled up into 10 days of parties, screenings, performances, parties, panels, speakers, and parties. It’s all encompassing to those who participate and meaningless to those who don’t. The secret is this: there is a place for the outsider at SXSW. You can attend a film if you don’t have a badge. You can see countless free music shows throughout the week. And you can go to Whole Foods without a faux-hawk. Just make sure you wear your American Apparel hoodie.

THE BASICS

The SXSW Music Festival began in 1987 to showcase Austin bands and compete with the more internationally renowned music recording cities (Los Angeles, New York, and Nashville). The results were immediately successful and the film and interactive components were added in 1994.

Additional factoids to consider:

• SXSW is the highest revenue-producing special event for the Austin economy (estimated economic impact = at least $110 million in 2008)• Last year, SXSW Music Conference and Festival brought in over 12,000 music industry professionals, and 1,800 acts from 42 different countries, performing in over 80 venues in downtown Austin• Twitter launched at SXSW Interactive in 2007. (Note: if you don’t know what Twitter is, skip down to Music)

The festival dates are – Interactive: March 13-17; Film: March 13-21; Music: March 18-22. In other words, the components are distinct and yet overlapping.

It can be overwhelming to say the least. Just beginning to sift through the details gave me a headache. But after a piece of cake, I’m back in action. The “walkup rate” for SXSW music badges is $695 (which provides access to the music conference and first priority at getting into performances). Conference speakers include Quincy Jones, The Oak Ridge Boys and Britt Daniel (of Spoon fame), along with hoards of music writers, bloggers, producers and even a woman who represents the estate of Miles Davis.

Then there are the shows. Over 1,800 performers from all over the world include high profile bands (ie: Ben Harper), lower profile ones (ie: Deer Tick), and even (and I just learned this myself) stand up comics. With the badges so expensive and the wristbands sold out, what’s a music fan to do?

First up, visit a little site called Oh My Rockness which outlines the festival schedule and most importantly, the free shows. Even hot SXSW bands such as The Decemberists, Casiokids, and M. Ward are participating in free events. And the schedule is extensive. Weds 3/18 lists over 30 free shows to choose from and Thurs 3/19 has over 50. SXSW even hosts three nights of free music at Auditorium Shores and the details are on their website. Another great option is to wander around South Congress. Jo’s Coffee, Guero’s, and Homeslice Pizza all host free day shows from Weds 3/18 or Thurs 3/19 through Sunday 3/21.

If you’re overwhelmed (as I am) by all the bands, here are some hot tips I picked up from around the hood. (translation: performers my friends told me are going to be really good):

Many of the above are playing free shows of some sort. Frequently their MySpace pages list their SXSW shows (and provide their music for your listening pleasure), but you can also check the official SXSW music schedule or Oh My Rockness.

With speakers ranging from Richard Linklater and Todd Haynes to (one of my favorites) Jeffrey Tambor, the Film Conference includes a wide range of industry professionals and (sadly) is for badge holders only. The screenings however are a different story. A lot of the movies are independently produced without big marketing budgets. What this means is that the crowds are smaller and the lines often manageable. Not always. But individual tickets go on sale 15 minutes prior to screenings, cost $10, and (particularly for the lesser known films) can be easy to come by.

I realize that you don’t know most of these movies. You’re not alone. This is a film festival and many of these movies don’t (and may never) have distribution. Some might be boring and some might be weird. But some will be gems that you can only see during SXSW.

Then there are the short films. But I’ll let you navigate that yourself.

2 Responses

Frances Lee · March 13, 2009 at 09:53:51 · →

Great overview, Toddy.
As far as music goes, it’s definitely possible to see so many great bands all for free. You just have to do a little research first. The site http://sxsw2009.sched.org/ is a quick and easy way to plan your schedule. It lists each event with venue and rsvp info. There is a useful searchbox for narrowing down your list, and also a list of parties with free food/alcohol.
Other notable bands that are playing for free:
Vetiver
Bell
Beach House
Explosions in the Sky
Telepathe
School of Seven Bells
Beach House, Explosions in the Sky, and the aforementioned Elvis Perkins in Dearland are all playing at Auditorium Shores on a big stage, so it’s a bit like ACL-lite.

Jill Essex · March 14, 2009 at 07:57:03 · →

Thanks, Toddy! I love the way you talk through writing! And even though you did a fabulous job of walking me through sxsw, I’m still overwhelmed and will wait to experience it vicariously through your next posts…